Station-indicator.



No. 629,605. T

F. H. BEES. STATION INDICATOR.

Applicntion filed Mar. 23, 1899.; (No Model.)

:l .1 21% "\\"l /i .L2 n i f/ 1 of? 75 All Patented July 25, |899.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRED HOLMES REES, OF ELMIRA, NFV YORK.

,'s'TATloN-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming partvof Letters Patent No. 629,605, dated July l25, 1899.

Application filed March 23,1899. Serial No. 710,239. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, FRED HOLMES REEs, a resident of Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York', have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Station-Indicators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description. of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to indicators, and has for its object to provide a simple, economical, and eifective station-indicator.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and pointedout.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a broken front elevation. Fig. 2 is an end velevation of the mechanism removed from its Fig. 3 is an opposite end elevation of Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of a star-wheel, spring-detenr, and bell. Fig. 5 is a similar view of a modification. Fig. 6 is a partial elevation of a roller and gear connected by a spring. Fig. 7 is a transverse section showing the same, and Fig. 8 is an end elevation of two rollers driven by a sprocketchain.

Numeral 1 denotes a case conveniently made of wood and having an opening or window 2, preferably glazed, to render visible the particular indications-as, for example, the names of stations, streets, or the like-displayed behind it by the operation of the mechanism to be described.

8 3 indicate frames made of brass, iron, or any suitable material and removably secured in the case by means of screws 4 or other suitable fastenings. Preferably these frames are made separate and provided with feet 5 to receive the screws or other fastening devices, which should be of such character and number as to hold the frame or frames securely. In the frames are journaled two rollers 6 and 7, having fixed at their ends gears S and 9, respectively. An intermediate gear is denoted by 10, which meshesl with bothgears 8 and 9.'

11 denotes a handle fixed to the axis of roller 8, in the present instance.suitably prolonged beyond its bearing in the frame and extended to the exterior of the case.

12 denotes a band, preferably of black maf terial, provided with white indicators, or vice case. the same.

versa, and having its ends wrapped about the rollers in oppositel directions, so that as it is wound on a roller by its rotation the band is unwound from the other, the rollers being connectedby the gears to move in unison and in either direction. Obviously the rollers could be thus moved by sprockets and chain. The band being provided withI a series of names or the like suitably arranged thereon, the rollers can be manipulatedl at Will to dis-` play all or any part of the series of names in succession and by reversing the rollers display the same names in reverse order, as heretofore practiced.

13 denotes a brass star-wheel suitably fixed on the axis of one of the rollers extended through its bearing in the frame. This wheel may be situatedv either on the inside or on the outside of the case. It is combined with a spring 14, ixed in the present instance to the interior of the case. The springiscurved or bent, asindicated at 15, to stop the wheel, but so as to permit said wheel to be turned in either direction when sufficient force is applied to overcome the tension of the spring. By preference the spring has an extension 16, situated near a bell 18 and combined with a spring-actuated hammer, so that when the star-wheel is turned and the spring 14 thereby put under tension the hammer-spring is also put under tension, so that the hammer may cause the bell to ring when the hammersupporting spring is released. g f The star-Wheel is arranged to be moved the distance of one tooth and the band the distance between two names thereon simultaneously, and the spring in cooperation with the wheel stops the band accurately and in proper relation to the display-opening and simultaneously sounds the bell.

19 denotes a spring which carries the bell hammer 18', and 20 denotes a weak spring attached to the hammer and situated in the path of the extension 16 of spring 14. In op-v eration the latter spring every time a toothof the star-wheel passes over the part 15 out of one interdental space to another bends spring 20 and passes it twice, returning to its normal situation. In the first stroke of the spring extension 16 lit carries the -spring 2O against the hammer extension 20,which sustains spring 20, so that the hammer is moved IOO from the bell and the spring 19 put under tension. The hammer having been sufficiently moved in manner indicated, the spring extension 16 escapes from the end of spring 20 and permits spring 19 to sound the bell. The spring extension in returning easily moves aside the spring 20, having no subsidiary support on its face opposite the hammer extension 20'. In some cases it is contemplated fixing the hammer 2l directly to spring extension 1G by a Weak spring 22. The hammer and spring are so combined with a stop 23 as to temporarily arrestaweak spring 22, carried by extension 16, until itis sufficiently bent to escape said stop, whereupon the bell is sounded.

Preferably brass will be used for the wheels and frame or frames; but any suitable material may be employed. The frames are made easily attachable to and detachable from the case to provide for convenient assemblage, substitution, removal, or repairs of parts. The spring is made to do double duty, beingadapted to act as a stop and prevent overrunning and to sound the bell.

The construction intermediate the roller and bell, including the main spring and the hammer, is simplified as compared With prior devices of the same general character.

The bell is preferably put on the inside ot' the case to avoid the notice of meddlers and for its general protection, and the case may be provided with openings for escape of sound.

I am aware that a bell has been used with a roller-carried band, and my improvement in this particular consists in the simplified and improved construction hereinafter pointed out.

As the display-band becomes more or less Wound upon one of the rollers in the operation of the device, it is evident that a continued operation vWill result in either a very loose condition of the band or it will be drawn so tightly as to tear or break. Therefore some means must be provided to permit one roll to adj ustits movementto compensate for the condition of the band, or, in other Words, to keep it sufficiently taut for successful operation. In Figs. G and 7 I have illustrated my preferred construction for accomplishing this result. A spirally-arranged spring 2l is secured at one end to the roller, as 6, and at the other end to the gear-Wheel, as 8, the latter being loose upon its shaft. The roller will thus be permitted to revolve more or less rapidly than the gear-Wheel, the spring being of sufficient tension to keep the display-band t-aut at all times.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a station-indicator or the like, acombination of the case, an alarm within the case, band-carrying rollers, a star-wheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers, and means for temporarily locking the star Wheel, said means being also adapted to sound the alarm.

2. In a station-indicator or thelike, the couibinatiou ofthe case, an alarm Within the case, the rollers geared to rotate, the display-band, the star-Wheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers, and the spring adapted to`stop the star-wheel and temporarily lock the rollers,

Asaid spring also sounding the alarm.

3. In a station-indicator orthe like, the combination of the case, an alarm secu red Within the case, a frame detachabl y fixed in the case, the rollers mounted in said frame and geared to rotate, the display-band operated by movement of the' rollers, the star-Wheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers, and the spring adapted to stop the Wheel and temporarily lock the rollers, said spring also sounding the alarm,

4. In astation-indicatoror the like, the combination of the band-carrying rollers, the starwheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers, the spring engaging the star-Wheel to temporarily lock the rollers in a situation to properly set the display-band, and a bell, said spring having an extension situated near the bell to ring the same when the spring isA ac-4 tuated by a movement of the star-Wheel.

5. In astation-indicatororthelike, the combination of a perforated ease, a bell Within the case, band-carrying rollers geared to rotate, a star-Wheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers, and a spring engaging the star- Wheel and temporarily locking the rollers, said spring also sounding the bell. Y

6. In a station-indicator or the like, the com` IOO bination of a case, a bell within the case, a

bell-hammer to sound the bell, band-carrying rollers, a star-Wheel fixed to one of the rollers, and a spring-detent to engage the star-wheel and temporarily lock the rollers in a situation to properly set the display-band, said spring having an extension to actuate the bell-ham mer.

7. In a station-indicator or the like the combination of a bell, a bell-hammer, the bandcarrying rollers, a star-Wheel fixed to one of the rollers, a spring-detent, said spring having an extension to actuate the hammer, and a subsidiary spring intermediate the detentspring and the hamm ersaid subsidiary spring having a support adjacent one of its faces to defend it against the detent-spring extension.

S. Ina station-indicator or the like, the combination of a oase, abell within the case, bandcarrying rollers, a star-Wheel fixed to one of the rollers, and a spring-detent adapted to engage the star-Wheel and temporarily lock the rollers in a situationto properly set the star-Wheel, said spring having an extension carrying a hammer to sound the bell.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED HOLMES BEES.

Witnesses: A

I-I. GARDNER AVERY, B. R. WHEELER.

Itol 

